A Common Misconception
by Kyo's Favorite Kitty
Summary: Sandry and Briar have a little talk. Oneshot.


A/N This is the first Tamora Pierce fic I've ever posted, so I'm kinda nervous. If it's received well, I might do some more of them. I wrote this right after I reread the whole series, but it's not directly related to the books. More like an afterward. Anywho… enjoy!

Disclaimer: nope , don't own it.

"Found the love of your life yet?" he drawled as he stepped up behind her in the dimly lit space.

They were in a ballroom, at a ball in the honor of Sandry's 18th birthday. The room was crowded with finely dressed men and women of all sizes and ages; they reminded Briar of giant butterflies. Briar himself was dressed in fine dark clothes, made by Sandry herself, and embroidered with vines and leaves to show he was a plant mage and cared for the natural world. All of their friends from Winding Circle, even the teachers, and all the nobles Duke Vendris kept about for such occasions (I know he doesn't but just go with it) were here at the ball to celebrate Sandry's birth. The girls (Tris, Daja, and Sandry) were dressed in beautiful gowns made by Sandry and Lark.

Sandry looked back over her shoulder and stuck her tongue out at him, "As if I'd fall for a nobleman", she muttered as she turned back to watch the people dance. She wore a white gown in the most current fashion and had embroidered it with tiny silver stars that twinkled merrily in the shadowy light cast by torches on the walls and candles on the tables.

"I didn't ask if you were falling for a noble", he smirked, "but you're very good at avoiding questions you do not wish to answer." With that, he turned and walked away; towards the open balcony and the stairway leading down into the more lush flower gardens; all the while listening for her soft footsteps following behind him.

He was not disappointed. Before he had even reached the stairway, with its cold stone steps and ornately carved iron railings, he heard her footfalls behind him, rushing to catch up. When she reached him, she grabbed his shoulders and turned him around to face her in one swift motion, "What do you mean I'm avoiding the question!" she almost hissed in her frustration.

Briar grabbed her hand from his shoulder and led her down the stairs quickly and quietly. No one saw them leave, just the way he wanted it. He did not want anyone thinking she was slipping into dark places with boys, it would ruin her reputation. Without stopping, he pulled her along the path and deeper into the lush and fragrant gardens for a good ten minutes before turning back to look at her in the moonlight.

With his usual, casual grace he leaned against a tree just to the side of the path and crossed his arms in front of him. " I asked if you had found the love of your life yet. Not if you had fallen for a noble. Not who he was. If and only if." he smirked as he spoke to her.

With all the decorum of a huffy five-year-old, she sat on a stone bench on the opposite side of the path as the cocky boy. Then, regathering her stateliness, she folded her hands in her lap and sat up straight, a sweet smile playing across her full lips. "Maybe I have" she stated coyly, eyes on her hands. Then, with an evil smirk, she turned her head and met his eyes, "then again, maybe I haven't."

Briar felt his heart sink as she answered, but he refused to let his feelings, for her or anything else, show on his face or in his actions. "That's nobles talk", he said bluntly as he closed his eyes in mock overconfidence, "not a real answer at all, just talk."

"I am a noble", Sandry reminded him quietly. He chose to ignore this comment, instead focusing on her previous statement.

"So tell me about this… fellow… you've fallen in love with. I simply cannot imagine the man who has managed to steal your heart away."

Sandry looked carefully at Briar, who was still leaned back against the tree with his eyes determinately closed. "Well", she began, climbing to her feet, "he's tall, and too skinny. He's got darker skin, beautiful moss green eyes, dark hair." She walked toward Briar very slowly, stopping right in front of him. He made no motion to show he knew that she had moved, but Sandry knew that he did.

"Hmm… he teases people all the time, acts like he knows best about everything, and hates asking for help with anything. He thinks he's always funny, and often is. He's intelligent, but hates to believe it and won't let anyone but his teacher say he is. He's graceful and moody, dark and quiet. An odd sort of mysterious, like a cat almost." she finished quietly, lost in her own musings.

Briar snorted, "He sounds like a noble, and an ponce at that." Ponce was a word Sandry had taught him, and not a very complimentary one.

"He can be a ponce, but he's kind to me. He defends his friends too." Sandry replied, taking a step closer to him. This brought her to within a few inches of Briar. "I… I love him."

The vines and branches of the tree behind Briar twitched excitedly, revealing the emotion he refused to show with his own body. His mind was reeling, _did he know this man? Had they met by chance? Why hadn't she mentioned him before? And why, in the name of the Trickster, was she standing so close to him?!_

"But is he a noble?" he asked her again, trying to keep his voice from shaking and betraying the real meaning behind his words.

Sandry chose this moment to throw her arms around his neck and stand on her tiptoes, bringing herself to his face. "Never", she proclaimed before leaning in and kissing him soundly.

Briar let her, his mind now thankfully blank of any thought at all. When she began to pull away from their fragile embrace, however, he slid his arms around her waist and pulled her back to him. _She loves me_, he thought to himself excitedly, _and I think that I love her._

After a few moments of their passionate embrace, Sandry drew away from him gently. She stared into his questioning face for a moment, lit only by the moonlight around them, looking for an answer to her unasked question.

"I do love you Sandry", he said gently, and he proceeded to kiss her again. Letting her know that the words he had said to her were true.

This time he was the first to draw away. He smirked at her, "A ponce am I?"

A/N I hope no one was offended by my use of the term _ponce_, I did not mean to offend. Please feel free to review!


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